Pat Mitchell / United States / 45 minutes
Synopsis
Henry is a timid young man who chronically suffers from social anxiety. At a party, he encounters Natalie, the girl he secretly loved in middle school. This unlikely coincidence will inspire a night of drinking, joy and romance.
Generally, medium-length films risk it all. Blamed for being either a short-film dragging on, or a feature that has lacked substance. « Apples, Oranges, Lemons & Limes » (genius title) falls into none of these traps and very adroitly uses its format. With interest and affection, we follow Henry’s character and his relationship with Natalie throughout this crazy night.
The film has got a cool cast, starring Cal Waldau and Skye Marie Sena in the two main roles. Let’s also retain Juan Rodriguez who plays Ryan’s character very naturally. Their lines are quite nice, and even if a few dialogues sound too explanatory, overall we believe what we hear and see. The « It wasn’t your fault » scene for instance is well-dosed, with all the necessary subtlety. The writing of Natalie’s character sometimes seems unstable, making her utterly change all of a sudden or strangely act aggressively, but it’ll always be rectified thereafter.
Since we mention imperfections, it should be said that the film is technically irregular. Editing and music are really good. However, the sound is not very enjoyable (especially the voices). As for the image, colours and compositions are inspired, but quite a few shots look a little « dirty » (blurry or with excessive contrast). A few discreet filmmaking mistakes (like clock continuity errors and a shot/countershot ignoring the 180-degree rule) will also be detectable for the most experienced viewers.
But definitely the director knows how to shoot nocturnal driveways under street lights, and how to film his characters and show their emotions in similar situations without actually boring the audience. To top it all, the story experiments with several styles— because the scenario, beyond its global romance aspect, occasionally draws elements from comedy, thriller and action, for a couple of scenes.
Conclusion
A lot of personality and passion in this interesting flick. It makes us live a special timeless moment, and we thank Pat Mitchell for his creativity. For once, let’s end with an extract from the director statement— concerning « Apples, Oranges, Lemons & Limes » we find this appropriate: "Hollywood [portrays] young adults drinking and partying as reckless terrible life decisions. [...] Can we show the brighter side of alcohol consumption without all the guilt and tragedy in cinema?"
U.N.
« Apples, Oranges, Lemons & Limes » joins official selection for the Little Croco Festival’s first edition, nominated in 2 categories: Romance & Adventure.
Trailer:
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